NZ warned over 'body bombers'

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United States Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
has warned the New Zealand Government about the latest terrorist
threat known as "body bombers".

US media reports have suggested the Al Qaeda affiliate in Yemen,
and its master bomb-maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, have been
designing body bombs with no metal parts to get past airport
security.

Napolitano said the US is monitoring the possibility of
terrorists implanting explosives in the human body.

"Do we have specific credible evidence of a threat today? I
would not say that we do, however, the importance is that we all
lean forward," she said.

Security at airports in the US and UK is now reportedly being
beefed up ahead of the anniversary of the death of Osama Bin Laden
this week.

New Zealand will have greater access to information about
threats as our once frosty relationship with the US continues to
thaw.

"This is indeed an international problem and that's why these
international agreements and these international interactions are
ever more important in today's world than perhaps any time in our
history," she said.

Smart gate review

While warning on potential security threats, Napolitano also
hinted that travel between the United States and New Zealand could
be streamlined for frequent travellers.

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Ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister John Key, Napolitano said
she would be viewing the "smart gate" system that operates between
Australia and New Zealand tomorrow.

"One of the things we are looking at is how can the smart gate
system... how it matches with our global entry system which is our
fast-track Customs process for international travellers, to see
where those things link up and, where they don't, to see if there's
a possibility moving forward in the future to facilitate travel -
particularly of New Zealanders who are frequent travellers to the
United States."

Smart Gate allows New Zealanders and Australians quicker passage
through the countries' borders, and America's global entry system
operates in a similar way for frequent US travellers.

Customs Minister Maurice Williamson said he saw a "golden
opportunity" to extend Smart Gate away from its current application
of just Australian and New Zealand passport holders to US
passengers with trusted traveller status.

This would possibly only be at the departure level to start with
"but on a long-term basis moving to a full integration with our
systems if we can".

Napolitano signed a statement of intent this morning with
Williamson and Immigration Minister Nathan Guy to work more closely
against people trafficking, improving border security and
preventing trans-national crime.

"As countries with a shared interest in the Pacific region, it
is in our interest to protect all communities from falling victim
to the horrific crime of trafficking in persons. We want to do
everything we can to support the Pacific," said Guy.